[Athen] CEA To Develop Standards For Access To Technology Products

[James Bailey]

You may want to read what Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive officer of the Consumer Electronics Association, had to say about HR 3101. See: http://tinyurl.com/2c3wptj
--
James Bailey
Adaptive Technology Access Adviser, University of Oregon



> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:38:23 -0400

> From: "Lissner, Scott" <Lissner.2 at osu.edu>

> To: <athen at athenpro.org>

> Subject: [Athen] CEA To Develop Standards For Access To Technology

> 	Products

> Message-ID:

> 	<80FCE4F8AFF74D4EAF5AE29906BFC6B504718610 at Yukon.admin.ohio-state.edu>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

> 

> FYI

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>  

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> CEA Launches Working Group To Develop Standards For Accessibility

> Features In Technology Products

> 

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> Standards to Focus on Enhanced Accessibility Features Including Tactile

> Feedback

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> Arlington, Virginia

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> 8/9/2010

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> The Consumer Electronics Association's (CEA)(r) Video Systems Committee

> today announced the launch of a new working group to develop standards

> for enhanced

> accessibility features in video devices. The working group - called R4

> WG19 - will develop standards and guidelines focused on enhanced

> accessibility features

> in video devices, providing direction for product implementations that

> benefit the accessibility community and consumer electronics

> manufacturers. CEA

> seeks participation in the working group by designers, engineers,

> manufacturers, users with disabilities and accessibility design

> specialists.

> 

>  

> 

> "The video systems and home entertainment markets are driving forces

> behind the global success of the consumer technology industry," said

> Brian Markwalter,

> vice president of Research and Standards for CEA. "CEA's new working

> group will establish standards and recommended practices that will

> improve accessibility

> features in these devices and will ultimately lead to more innovative

> and user-friendly technology products that benefit the accessibility

> community and

> the CE industry as a whole."

> 

>  

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> The working group will initially focus on tactile feedback features of

> remote controls to assist in locating and distinguishing buttons and

> features on

> TV, recorder, audio and other remote-controlled devices. Further

> projects may include other standards surrounding accessibility issues in

> video devices

> - features critically important to consumers with visual or auditory

> impairments, for example.

> 

>  

> 

> CEA leads technology manufacturers in fostering CE industry growth by

> developing industry standards and technical specifications that enable

> new products

> to come to market and encourage interoperability with existing devices.

> CEA maintains an unmatched reputation as a credible and flexible

> standards making

> body and has earned ANSI accreditation. Through more than 70 committees,

> subcommittees and working groups, the CEA Technology and Standards

> program provides

> a unique and efficient forum where technical professionals throughout

> the industry develop a unified technology roadmap and address technical

> issues critical

> to the CE industry growth. For information about CEA Technology and

> Standards, visit

> www.CE.org/standards.

> 

>  

> 

> For more information, or to join the R4 WG19 working group, please

> contact Alayne Bell at

> abell at CE.org.